What Is a Spouse?

A spouse is a legally wedded husband or wife.

Key Considerations for Immigration:

1. Simply living together does not qualify as a marriage for immigration purposes.
2. Common-law spouses may qualify depending on the laws of the country where the common-law marriage occurs.
3. In cases of polygamy, only the first spouse qualifies for immigration purposes.

Getting Married Online

Getting married online is allowed. According to USCIS regulations, you MUST have met your spouse in person at least 1 time since the online marriage occurred. If you want to have an online wedding, we suggest that you check with us first, as it must be done correctly.

Requirements for a CR-1 or IR-1 Spouse Visa

• The U.S. citizen is the Petitioner, and the foreign spouse is the Beneficiary.
• The U.S. Petitioner must be a U.S. Citizen (green card holders cannot sponsor a spouse under this visa type).
• You must be legally married (cohabitation does not count).
• Any previous marriages must be legally terminated (divorce or death certificates are required).
• The U.S. Petitioner must meet income requirements set by the U.S. Government.
• You must be at least 18 years old to sign the Affidavit of Support.

Residency Requirement for the U.S. Sponsor

The U.S. citizen sponsor must maintain a primary residence (domicile) in the United States. If you are living abroad, you must show intent to reestablish residency in the U.S. before your spouse’s visa is approved.

CR-1 vs. IR-1 Visa: What’s the Difference?

CR-1 (Conditional Resident) status applies to individuals married for less than two years at the time of receiving their green card. These individuals are issued a conditional green card valid for two years.

IR-1 (Immediate Relative) status is granted to those married for two years or more, qualifying them for a permanent green card valid for 10 years.

For CR-1 visa holders, the conditional status must be removed after two years through a petition process, after which they receive a permanent 10-year green card.

U.S. Sponsor Income Requirement

The U.S. sponsor must earn at least 125% of the U.S. poverty guidelines to qualify. If the income is insufficient, a joint sponsor may be used. Social Security and Social Security Disability income can be included. The Sponsor (US Citizen) is allowed to use a combination of income and assets to meet the income requirement.

Vaccination Requirements

All immigrant visa applicants must undergo a medical examination and obtain certain mandatory vaccinations before their visa is issued.

Children & Dependent Visas

• Children do not automatically receive a visa under the CR-1/IR-1 category.
• Children must be under 18 at the time of marriage to qualify for a CR-2 or IR-2 visa.
• Children born abroad after you became a U.S. citizen may qualify for U.S. citizenship and should apply for a U.S. passport.
• We charge $300 for EACH child who will receive a visa.

Processing Time: How Long Does It Take?

The average processing time for a spouse visa is 12–18 months from the date of filing. Do not book travel plans until the visa is issued. For the fastest results, we recommend starting the process at least two months before marriage.

Total Cost for a Spouse Visa

If you rely solely on the instructions provided on the U.S. government website for a fiancé(e) or marriage visa, you risk having your application rejected—forcing you to start over from scratch. There are critical requirements and procedural details that are not clearly explained on government websites. Unfortunately, you cannot simply correct errors and resubmit; instead, you must restart the entire process, repay the filing fee, and endure additional delays. Avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary setbacks when dealing with USCIS.

Here’s how the process unfolds: After carefully completing what you believe to be a flawless visa petition, you submit your spouse visa package to the government. It then sits in queue for 3–5 months before an official reviews it.

If they find even a minor error—such as an unchecked box, incorrect information, or any one of countless potential issues—your entire package is returned, marked as rejected.

Now, you must correct the mistake, resubmit the petition, and wait another 3–5 months for it to be reviewed again. And here’s the catch: when USCIS first reviews your application, they stop at the first error. They don’t examine the entire petition, meaning there could be additional mistakes that won’t be discovered until the next review cycle. This can lead to further rejections, extending the process indefinitely.

And that’s just the U.S. side of the petition. You also have to navigate the complexities of the Philippine government. The U.S. Embassy in Manila is one of the most stringent embassies in the world when it comes to granting marriage visas. U.S. officials carefully scrutinize each application, rejecting filings for any legitimate reason—including seemingly minor procedural errors.

Attempting this process alone is extremely risky. Ensuring accuracy from the start can save you time, money, and frustration.

What We Will Do For You